Prep Baseball Report

Mac N Seitz Scout Day: Catchers Analysis


Andy Urban & Diego Solares
Missouri Staff

On Saturday, February 22, Prep Baseball Report - Missouri held the Mac n Seitz Scout Day event at the Mac n Seitz Baseball Facility in Kansas City. Roughly 50 prospects were in attendance, representing the 2021-to-2024 classes. 

Shortly after the event’s conclusion we published an instant analysis story, highlighting the top statistical performers from the event. Today we’ll kick off our position-by-position breakdown and roll it out throughout the week, starting with the day’s catchers. 

Headlining this group of backstops are Tyler Buchman (2022; Blue Valley West) and Cole Chace (2023 Blue Spings South).

Buchman is a well above average defender whose calling card is his quickness behind the plate using clean footwork and exchanges to post pop times of the event of 1.96-2.08. Buchman also showed feel for blocking not only in his individual workout, but in the bull pens as well.

Chace was easily one of the top prospects of the whole event, showing the ability to barrel the ball to all fields in BP with more juice than his exit velo would suggest. Behind the dish, the 2023 showed advanced feel for receiving and narrowly edged out Buchman for the lowest showcase pop time of 1.95. Chance is also a budding prospect on the mound and in the infield.    

Listed Alphabetically

Isaiah Beck, Shawnee Mission North (KS), 2022
Positional Profile: C
Body: 5-foot-11, 170-pounds. Slender, athletic frame. Developing mass and strength.
Defense: 2.07-2.39 pop times. Natural receiver behind the dish from a narrow base with sway. Clears feet to the glove side before making clean exchanges and firing to second.  In the infield, gets around the ball with aggressive footwork and developing hands.
Arm: Right-Handed. C - 73 mph. INF - 76 mph.  From behind the dish, shows a short stroke coming through a high-¾ slot. On the infield, throws with a short stoke through multiple slots.
Hit: Right-Handed. Open, upright stance. Holds the hands forward. Toe tap load. Swings the hands back into the launch position. Hands are quick through the zone with some barrel lag and uphill path. Aggressive two handed and high finish.
Power: 79 mph exit velocity from the tee. Like the bat speed. Chance to have pop with this quick of a swing.
Run: 4.64 runner home-to-first. 

Brecken Bowers, Liberty North (MO), 2022
Positional Profile: C
Body: 5-foot-8, 130-pounds. Lean and developing frame.
Defense 2.01-2.18 pop times. Footwork gets to an open stance to make a throw. Deliberate and short steps clearing to the glove side. Developing transfer move.
Arm: Right-Handed. Short stroke coming through a high-¾ slot.
Hit: Right-Handed. Very narrow, open stance. Rhythm and movement in the hands and load. Slight coiling leg lift. Short stride. Flat and short path through extension.
Power: 68 mph exit velocity from the tee. Found some barrels in BP.
Run: 4.51 runner home-to-first.  

Trevor Brush, Blue Valley (KS), 2023
Positional Profile: C
Body: 5-foot-7, 120-pounds. Developing frame.
Defense: 2.26-2.37 pop times. Moderate arm stroke coming through a high-¾ slot.
Arm: C - 67 mph.  Short stroke coming through an over the top slot. 
Hit: Right-Handed. Narrow, upright stance. Toe tap load into a big stride. Launches hands on a slightly uphill path with some length.
Power: 70 mph exit velocity from the tee. Founds some barrels in BP.
Run: 4.65 runner home-to-first. 

Delivery: Lands open to target, upright finish, recoil.
Arm Action: Compact arm action, 3/4 slot.
FB: T72, 70-72 mph. Plays straight, pushes the baseball.
CB: 60-61 mph. Gradual action.
CH: 58-59 mph. Floats into the zone. 

Tyler Buchman, Blue Valley West (KS), 2022
Positional Profile: C
Body: 5-foot-11, 175-pounds. Athletic. Room to add more muscle.
Defense: 1.96-2.08 pop times. Natural receiver with strong hands that beat the ball to the spot. Very quick feet.
Arm: Right-Handed. C - 71 mph. Short, quick arm action. Gets right to the ear. Advanced transfer move. Developing some arm strength.
Hit: Right-Handed. Stands with a tall, open stance. Lifts the front leg, gathers, and strides forward aggressively. Rhythm in the hands and tilts the barrel. Flat path. Big one handed finish. Swings with intent.
Power: 81 mph exit velocity from the tee. Consistent line dives. Doubles power.
Run: 4.78 runner home-to-first. 

Cole Chace, Blue Springs South (MO), 2023
Positional Profile: C/RHP
Body: 6-foot-0, 190-pounds. Proportional frame with some strength in his lower half.
Defense: 1.95-2.08 pop times. Behind the dish, receives from a narrow and slightly offset base with above average hands. Clean and consistent exchanges and footwork. Advanced blocking. Above average footwork and glove work in the field with confident actions.
Arm: Right-Handed. C - 73 mph. INF - 84 mph.  Short arm stroke coming through a near over the top slot behind the dish. Quick and athletic arm in the field.
Hit: Right-Handed. Balanced, squared stance with a slight bend in the knees. Uses a slight hanging leg lift with a barrel tip hand load. Swings off the back leg with an uphill path.
Power: 82 mph exit velocity from the tee. Ability to consistently barrel the ball in BP. Developing gap to gap power.
Run: 4.78 runner home-to-first. 

Delivery: Steady side step starts slight drop/drive type delivery, athletic balance point, level shoulders, throws on line with target, lands square.
Arm Action: Right-Handed. Long arm action, high 3/4 slot.
FB: T80, 78-80 mph. Four-seam type, plays towards arm-side, some strikes.
CB: 68-71 mph. 11/5 shape.
CH: 65-73 mph. Slightly decelerated arm action, plays up in the zone. 

Carsen Malan, Blue Valley West (KS), 2021
Positional Profile: C
Body: 5-foot-7, 150-pounds. Lean frame.
Defense: 2.01-2.15 pop times. Receives from a very quiet and sturdy base with an aggressive glove. Quick feet behind the plate.
Arm: Right-Handed. C - 72 mph.  Quick arm action coming through a high-¾ slot. Ball gets out quick.
Hit: Right-Handed. Stands straight up at the plate with a very narrow stance. Small stride forward. Little movement in the load. Flat path through extension.
Power: 78 mph exit velocity from the tee. Line drive hitter. Mostly barrels in BP.
Run: 4.41 runner home-to-first. 

Owen Reinert, Blue Valley High (KS), 2023
Positional Profile: C/RHP
Body: 5-foot-9, 140-pounds. Lean and developing frame.
Defense: 2.00-2.34 pop times. Receives with some bend in the waist, traces ball path with glove. Pops up early out of the crouch. Developing infielder.
Arm: Right-Handed. C - 73 mph. INF - 62 mph.  Quick release behind home plate using very short arm stroke coming through a high-¾ slot. 
Hit: Right-Handed. Wide and athletic set up with rhythm in the hands. Strides slightly closed..  Uphill path with some length. Balanced at the point of contact.
Power: 69 mph exit velocity from the tee.
Run: 5.51 runner home-to-first. 

Delivery: Stretch only, tall/fall type delivery, short stride, upright finish.
Arm Action: Right-Handed. Short, quick arm action, high 3/4 slot.
FB: T69, 65-69 mph. Plays up in the zone.
CB: 53-56 mph. 11/5 shape, gradual action, some depth.
CH: 59-63 mph. Showed sink. 

Mason Small, Linn County R-1 (MO), 2023
Positional Profile: C
Body: 5-foot-11, 220-pounds. Some strength.
Defense: 2.26-2.46 pop times. Developing
Arm: Right-Handed. C - 68 mph.   Developing
Hit: Right-Handed. Wide stance and back leg heavy stance. Big and aggressive toe tap load before launching his hands on an efficient and slightly uphill path through extension.
Power: 82 mph exit velocity from the tee. Some line drives in BP.
Run: 5.3 runner home-to-first 

Morgan Wilkins, Lee's Summit North (MO), 2022
Positional Profile: C
Body: 5-foot-8, 165-pounds. Some strength in his lower half.
Defense: 2.01-2.27 pop times. With nobody on, receives from a low crouch with flexibility in the hips and slightly above average hands. Sits higher in the crouch on throw-downs. Shows come quicknes in his feet and exchanges.
Arm: Right-Handed. C - 73 mph. INF - 77 mph. Short arm stroke coming through a hig-¾ slot.
Hit: Right-Handed. Slightly open and athletic stance with rhythm in his hands. Uses a slight leg lift and quiet moderate stride before launching his hands on a slightly uphill path with some length. 
Power: 78 mph exit velocity from the tee. Found some barrels in BP.
Run: 5.01 runner home-to-first.


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